Dent distending and removing tool



1611- 1969 R. K. WARRICK DENT DISTENDING AND REMOVING TOOL Filed Oct. 11, 1966 um A r v0W W 3 K I r W e w 0% n Y B m t Nut United States Patent 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flexible stretchless cable is provided at its leading and trailing ends with fixed ball-like limit stops. The complemental dent removed comprises a steel oval ball slidable and rotatable on the cable. When forcibly pulled through the bore of a length of round tubing (aluminum, copper or thin wall steel tubing) it acts on and restores the tubing to its dent free state. A sleeve is slidable on the leading end and provides (1) a handgrip and (2) an impact hammer. The sleeve can be caught hold of and the forward end can be intermittently hammered against a slotted collar which serves as an end thrust anvil.

This invention relates to a special tool which is structurally designed and effectively adapted to enable a user thereof to forcibly act upon and distend a bore-restricting indentation (dents or damaging distortions) from a wall portionof the bore of a length of deformable aluminum tubing, copper tubing, thin wall steel or malleable plastic tubing, whereby to restore the tubing to its original form and condition.

An object of the present invention, generally stated, is to improve upon and to reduce the number of component parts embodied in the over-all combination device thereby not only increasing the efliciency of the tool as a whole but also rendering the same less costly to manufacture and to otherwise but significantly simplify factors of assembling and sale.

In carrying out the principles of the invention and as will be evident from the disclosure the adaptation which has been devised and perfected is destined to attract the attention of manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and those users who are concerned with and interested in endorsing and advocating the use of a satisfactorily adaptable distortion remedying, tube repairing and restoring tool which well serves the purposes for which it is intended.

Briefly the tool is feasible and recommended for use when a user is called upon to remove a distortion, a damaging bend or one or more bore-restricting indentations from the bore of a length of bendable but repairable tubing and, in doing so, to distend the restriction and restore the tubing to its original round dent-free state. To the ends desired, the tool is characterized, broadly construed, by a flexible stretchless cable of re quisite length and cross-section relative to the bore in which it is intended to be used. The cable is of a length that it is capable of being threaded and then moved through the bore of the tubing. The cable has a leading end and a trailing end contingent on whether the cable is moved relative to the tubing or the tubing is moved relative to the cable. It is provided at at least one end, say the trailing end, with a solid incompressible follower of a size and shape that said follower can be lodged in and forcibly and progressively passed through the bore in a manner to impose distending shape-restoring pressure on the dent and, in doing so, to remove the dent in whole or in part.

Additional novelty is predicated on a tool of the character stated wherein the cable is appreciably smaller in cross-section than the cross-section of the bore into which it is passed when in use. The cable is of a length greater than the length of the bore and is provided at one end Patented Jan. 21, 1969 and preferably at both ends with fixedly attached shoulders herein referred to as limit stops. The follower takes the shape of a dent removing and expanding and restoring form, more particularly which is contoured to cam itself into expanding contact with the dent. In fact the form is ovate or ball-like in configuration, is smooth surfaced and provided with an axial open-ended passage which allows the form to slide and rotate on the cable.

Then, too, novelty is predicated on the tool as constructed and more particularly on the use of small ballends on the cable which provide the limit stops and which accommodate collars, one of said collars being slotted or slit and attachable and detachable and having the additional function of an anvil to accommodate a driving or impact end of a sleeve, said sleeve serving as a pounding handle for dragging or pulling the ball form through the bore of the tubing.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation showing a length of tubing which as stated may be copper tubing, thin wall steel tubing, bendable aluminum tubing of indefinite size and length and which, more importantly shows the dentremoving tool and how it is initially inserted for use.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of one dented end portion of the tubing illustrating the relatively small starting expander or ball and how it is brought into play for dent dilating and straightening purposes.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and showing a progressively usable larger expanding ball in use.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section on the plane of the section line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one end portion of the cable showing the expanding ball or form.

And FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the other end of the cable detailing the washerlike collar or anvil and the sleeve-like handle or handgrip.

The numeral 8 designates a length of copper, brass, steel or aluminum tubing, which for purposes of revealing the inventive concept may be of any length and crosssection, one end of the tubing being denoted at 10 (FIG. 1) and the other end at 12. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the normal or undistorted bore of the tubing is denoted at 14. Several indentations, bends or distorted irregularities, which are to be removed and which are referred to here as bore-restricting dents are designated at the points 16, 17, 18 and 19. These are arbitrary showings of the dents or indentations which are to be acted on and straightened out to restore the bore 14 to its original round and uniform shape or condition.

The improved implement or tool comprises a flexible stretchless cable which is denoted at 20 and which is of a length greater than the length of the tubing 8 and is of a cross-section appreciably less than the transverse cross-section of the bore. The cable is made of steel and is flexible so that it can be threaded through the bore and also a distorted or bent portion in the tubing.

The left hand end portion of the cable referred to in the views of the drawing here is designated at 22 (see FIG. 5 in particular). This end portion, that is the terminal thereof is provided with limit stop means, more specifically a small shoulder or ball 24 which is fixed in place and which serves to provide an end thrust element for the washer or ring-like collar 26. This collar is centrally apertured and abuts the limit stop ball 24. This limit stop means provides a check for the cablecarrying dent-engaging element which is broadly referred at 34 and the axial bore through which the cable is tral or hub opening 48 through the periphery 50 to permit the ready application and removal of the collar. This collar serves also as an anvil for the impact end or surface 52 of an elongated sleeve 54 which is mounted on the cable and is shiftable so that it can be pounded against the anvil to assist in dragging or pulling the dent distending and removing end of the cable through the bore of the tubing.

It can be explained that the reason for the dent removing form or ball 28 sliding and turning on the cable is so that one may, if necessary, back out the device if a dent is too large for that particular size of ball which is then being used. Further the slot 46 on the anvil collar 44 is small and proportional with the cross-section of the cable so that the collar does not accidentally displace itself once it is put in position for handle-pounding use. The removable feature of the washer is such that it permits the handle to be slipped off and removed. It follows that the slot is only large enough that it may be forced off the cable. The handle means 54 is used as a knocker.

It can also be explained that the end of the cable can be held in a vise while the tube is being yanked on by hand causing the expanding ball to pass through the bore of the tube. The tube may also be strapped down while the expanding ball on the cable is being pulled through by hand or by a power winch if this mode of procedure is desired.

The size of the ball 28 will vary relative to the size of the inside diameter of the tubing 8. The final size ball will be from .003" of an inch to .010" of an inch smaller than the inside diameter of the tube being straightened. The starting ball (FIG. 2) will be .025" of an inch smaller than the inside diameter of the tubing. The starting ball will be on a separate cable altogether. The dents in thin wall aluminum tubing may be straightened by using the hand knocker or by putting the pull end of the cable in a vise and yanking the tubing by hand. Copper, brass and steel tubing will have to be strapped down and the ball pulled through by power wench. Grease may be applied to the ball for ease of passing through, but not to be used on tubing being used for oxygen, unless they are flushed after the straightening process. Heat may be applied to dents that are hard to press out. The cable will vary according to the size and length of the tubing, a cable up to 4 inch size tubing, etc. Metal caps are made standard size for desired cable.

It is submitted that the tool or implement herein disclosed well serves the purposes for which it is intended, that the construction and arrangement of component parts is evident from the views of the drawing and description. Also, the manner of using the invention is believed to be clear from the illustrative views of the drawing. Accordingly, a more extended description is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A self-contained manually usable dent dntending and removing device comprising, in combination, a flexible stretchless cable of a predetermined length and cross sectional dimension capable of being threaded through and subsequently progressively pulled through the bore of a given length of restorative tubing, said cable having leading and trailing ends, a first ball-like limit stop fixed on the trailing end portion of said cable, a first washer-like collar slidably and rotatably strung on said cable and adapted to abut said first limit stop and of a diameter less than the diameter of the bore of said tubing and larger than the diameter of said limit stop, a single solid incompressible dent engaging, expanding and shape restoring form, said form having an axial open-ended passage through which said cable is threaded, said form being ovate in configuration, rotatable and slidable on the cable, the median body portion being of a diameter greater than the diameter of said first collar and capable of being lodged in and forcibly pulled through said bore with the limit stop engaged therewith, a second ball-like limit stop fixed on the leading end portion of said cable and corresponding in shape and size to said first limit stop, a second collar corresponding in outside diameter to said first collar, said second collar having a radial slot extending from the collars axial opening through the outer peripheral edge of said collar, said slot being of a width slightly larger than the cross-sectional dimension of said cable whereby said second collar is horeshoe-shaped and is attachable to and detachable from said cable and when attached is held against endwise displacement by said second limit stop, said second collar providing an abutment and consitituting an end thrust anvil, and a sleeve slidable on said cable, said sleeve providing a handgrip and also an impact hammer wherein that end of the sleeve which is directed toward said anvil is capable of being intermittently hammered against the confronting face of said anvil in a manner to pound an end of the form against the dent which is to be distended and restored to its original shape.

2. The dent distending and removing device defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said second collar is rigid and has interchangeable fiat impact surfaces, and wherein said sleeve is reversible and of an outside diameter corresponding to the outside diameter of saidcollars and has straight across selectively usable ends which are disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve, the bore of said sleeve being of a prescribed diameter greater than the diameter of the second limit stop, whereby when the second collar is intentionally removed from the cable the sleeve can be slipped over the second limit stop and thus removed from the cable.

3. The dent distending and removing tool defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein the diameter of said second limit stop is appreciably less than the diameter of the bore of said sleeve to permit the sleeve to be readily removed from said cable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 423,544 3/1890 Vanderman 72466 2,345,443 3/1944 Aiken 72466 3,030,837 4/1962 Chartier 72705 3,100,336 8/1963 Fannin 72705 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner. B. I. MUSTAIKIS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 72466 

